Selfish

The word "selfish" carries a lot of negative baggage. Like "racist" it has a connotation that no one wants associated with them. Therefore people use it to sling mud at those who have otherwise defensible and logical opinions.

But what does selfish mean? It means that an individual has chosen to serve his own choices. The connotation implies that those choices are made to the detriment of others. Liberals love to toss this word around a lot. Those individuals who worked hard to provide for their families, their businesses, or maybe just themselves are called selfish (and most recently unpatriotic) if they do not want to pay higher taxes to fund useless projects or have their wealth redistributed to people that did not earn it.

Freedom means that each one of us has the right to choose. We can earn money, spend money, eat, drink, worship God, sit around and do nothing, take a trip, have sex, collect guns and do a million other things just because we want to, so long as we do not infringe upon someone else's rights in the process. Society can label our behaviors what it wants because of the First Amendment. Being called selfish doesn't hurt so long as individuals retain that basic right to choose. They can say what they want as long as they do not keep us from choosing to do as we please.

The Obama campaign has made it clear that they want to launch a war on what they consider selfishness. And they reserve the right to define that term. Joe Biden called paying higher taxes "patriotic" when the Founding Fathers thought otherwise. They will bring back the death tax which will steal 50% of each person's inheritance. Woe be unto the family business or farm that does not prepare early for sudden death, or all will be lost to Big Government. If he gets his way, Obama will legally steal the benefits of people's hard work and financial discipline through higher capital gains taxes.

The government should not take anything more than it needs to operate. Redistribution of wealth through taxes is theft. It is our right to keep what is ours and do with it what we see fit. Keep Obama's hands out of our wallets and pocketbooks. Vote for John McCain.

Loss of Short Term Memory

I have to admit, I was one of those that was a little miffed about the Wall Street bailout plan. The idea that $700 billion would go to big business and leave regular folks in the cold struck me wrong. I supported it, but I didn't like it.

Then came some facts. The bailout does not mean grants, but loans. Banks will have to pay this money back. In addition, they face increased government regulation of their practices. It's a lot like when you are a teenager and either crash a car or get a ticket. Your parents may help, but you will have to pay it back in some way. Most definitely your activities will be curtailed as well.

What those (and me too, I admit) who criticize the plan's big business focus forget is that Main Street already got help. The tax rebates were not loans, they did not come with any restrictions on how they were spent, and they will not bring restrictions on how Americans decide how to spend in the future. The tax rebate checks benefited the poor, but not the people with higher incomes. Yes, those people got checks as well, but several hundred dollars is much more vital to a poor family than one making six figures.

I cannot fathom why the tax rebate has not been brought up to counter those who want to make this a class warfare issue. Apparently even the media in this country has lost some short term memory.

It's Not What Reagan Would Do!!!!

The proposed $700 billion dollar loan package to the financial sector has ruffled feathers across the political spectrum. Both liberals and conservatives have expressed considerable anxiety about the plan that President Bush and Congress are close to assembling.

Liberals dislike a plan that seems to bail out Wall Street for making foolish choices while ignoring Main Street. To be honest, conservatives have many of the same qualms. Why are we rescuing these people? I hate to use the word greedy, but both they and many borrowers were gambling on an ever expanding bubble. The housing bubble was like a huge game of musical chairs. When the music stopped, some would be rich, and others would be in desperate shape. Economists should have known better.

Our president, congressional representatives, and economic experts have mostly agreed that allowing these firms to die would have a catastrophic impact on our economic system. In theory it may be okay to allow a boat that wanders into a hurricane to go under rather than risk the lives of rescuers. Apparently, however, we are all passengers on that boat whether we know it or not.

In 1929 Herbert Hoover acted as many conservatives would have President Bush act today. Hoover was a rock solid conservative and 90% of the time his ideas were sound. However the situation in 1929, as today, was an extraordinary combination of events from the economic and political realms. Inactivity led to disaster because we were not just talking about stupid business decisions, but a crisis of confidence in the system. The potential for that is developing today. 2008 is not a replay of 1929, nor are things as bad as they were then. Certain crises do demand leadership and action. We elected a "decider" in 2000. When has President Bush ever backed off of a crisis?

But Reagan would have let them go, or would he? The closest leader to Reagan in his time was Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. In the early 1980s she unleashed howls of doctrinaire criticism by implementing an economic intervention plan. Thatcher explained that business and individuals need more freedom to make their own decisions about the economy. That being said, fear, instability, and lack of confidence restrained people's activities more than government action. To act freely, people need confidence in the free market system. Extraordinary situations demanded action.

People used poor judgment in the past several years, as people often will. In most cases, government "help" is often the worst medicine. In a few severe cases, it becomes necessary. No, government should not always be there with a band aid, milk, and cookies every time we get a boo-boo. But we do expect that if the catastrophic happens, they will send an ambulance.

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Speaking of Thatcher, she also criticized socialist governments for relying on large prestige manufacturing projects for economic development instead of real reform. She was talking about 1980s Mexico, but the comment hits close to home.

Howell racks up endorsements in campaign for state Senate

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gary Howell

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 304-790-9292

Howell racks up endorsements in campaign for state Senate

State’s leading pro-life group, 2^nd Amendment organization award nods

Gary Howell, candidate for state Senate in the 14^th District, continues to rack up endorsements from leading organizations around West Virginia.

The West Virginians for Life Political Action Committee (WVFL PAC) has announced its endorsement of Howell, as has the West Virginia Citizens Defense League (WVCDL).

WVFL PAC is the internal PAC for West Virginians for Life, the state pro-life organization. WVFL is affiliated with the National Right to Life Committee and is working through education and legislation to build a society where innocent human life is respected, from conceptioon until natural death.

Brian Louk, WBFL Executive Director, stated, “We commend Mr. Gary Howell for pledging to protect unborn children from abortion on demand.”

The WVCDL is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, all-volunteer, grassroots organization of concerned West Virginians who support an individual’s right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use.

In its endorsement process, WVCDL-PAC evaluated the records of incumbent legislators and asked all legislative candidates to complete a questionnaire on their views concerning several legislative issues important to gun owners.

“I’m thrilled that my commitment to issues important to the people of the 14^th District is recognized by leading advocacy groups around West Virginia,” said Howell. “In the Senate, I’ll work hard to bring about the positive changes we need to improve our district and our state for all its residents.”

The 14^th Senate district covers all or parts of the counties of Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor and Tucker.

Britain Losing Its Traditions

Recently the British Government caved to demands that its court system recognize Islamic religious court decisions as binding upon Muslims. The legal system, known as Sharia, will now stand alongside that country's ancient common law as the law of the land.

This is frightening if you are British. Common law comes from a tradition that recognizes individual rights. It tore itself away from religious paternalism in the 1200s and made the English people the freest in the world at one point. Sharia comes from a tradition of social control for the benefit of the religion. Centuries ago, Roman Catholic canon law was abandoned because it was seen as incompatible with the "natural rights of Englishmen." Now the British have adopted an even more alien set of laws.

Britain will not stand for this. Most likely this move will push Britain towards a Conservative Party led government that will specifically strike this down. That being said, court decisions will be made and Sharia incorporated as precedents within the common law. Sharia has no place in the law codes of Western democratic nations that have centuries of tradition respecting individual rights.

Could this happen here? Likely not. The First Amendment so deftly used against Christian expression in public places would never allow the adoption Islamic law as a guide for our court system. America is a place where people come to escape oppression, not to recreate it. One wonders what will happen with Muslims that would rather take their chances with British law rather than religious law. Certainly many Christians would rather not be judged legally by the moral standards set by their religion. Britain, in an effort to tolerate a religion, has adopted one of the most intolerant systems of law on earth. They need to step up and get it removed before people's lives get ruined.

House rejected a $700 billion emergency bailout

Voting yes were 140 Democrats and 65 Republicans.

Voting no were 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans.

WEST VIRGINIA

Democrats — Mollohan, Y; Rahall, Y.

Republicans — Capito, N.

West Virginia: McCain 50%, Obama 42%

West Virginia: McCain 50%, Obama 42% - Rasmuessen Reports

Teets Ideas Could Be Huge For Potomac Highlands

On September 6th at Jackson's Mill, Republican nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture J. Michael Teets spoke about how to expand West Virginia's horse industry.

According to West Virginia University, the horse industry employs over 13,000 people while boosting the state's economy by $509 million per year. According to Teets, West Virginia can compete with Virginia and Kentucky if it offers similar economic incentives such as funds to breed a wider variety of horses. Modern show facilities would also boost the industry's profile in the state.

An expanding horse industry means more jobs, not only in farming but also construction. Potomac State College recently built a show facility while expanding its equine programs. Because of Potomac State's commitment in this field, a Teets victory in November could pay huge dividends regionally. Horse care requires many different inputs from feed to veterinary medicine. This means more opportunities throughout the area.

Teets in recent months has aggressively pushed innovative ideas to help farmers increase their income and productivity. Small farmers could benefit from programs designed to introduce new crops more appropriate to their acreage. He founded Teets Farms in Hardy County and has served on that county's commission for fourteen years.